Artificial minnow



Oct. 6, 1959 A. suoRsA ARTIFICIAL MINNOW Filed Jan. 6, 1956 INVENTOR.

SUORS/l ARVO ATTORNEY Un ted. Sta es Patent 2,907,132 ARTIFICIAL MINNOW Arvo Suorsa, Detroit, Mich. y Application January 6, 1956, Serial No. 551,738 2 Claims. c1. ts-42.51)

This invention relates to an artificial minnow or spoon especially adapted for trolling.

It is the primary object-of this invention to provide a trolling spoon which closelyresembles the action of a minnow or small fish when it is moved through the water so as to attract fish thereto. 4 It is a further object of this invention to provide a trolling spoon which will travel substantially vertically through the water with a wiggling movement which comprises a bodily movement about a point within the body of the spoon, whereby the spoon follows a zigzag course.

It is another object of this invention to provide a trolling spoon which may be easily and efiiciently stamped in one operation from a sheet .of metal at a minimum of cost, and which will be efficient in operation.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a trolling spoon comprising a plate having a substantially flat, vertically disposed head portion, a similarly shaped tail portion which is inverted and bent around the longitudinal axis of the spoon, and an intermediate bent portion interconnecting the head and tail portions and having the general curvature of a helix, whereby, when the spoon is moved through the water, the head and tail portions will be oscillated about the longitudinal axis of the spoon to provide a wiggling movement.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts of the several views.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a trolling spoon made in accordance with the principles of the invention, with the head portion disposed in the vertical plane;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow marked 2;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken at approximately 45 above the horizontal plane;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, taken in the direction of the arrow marked 4;' and Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken along the line 55 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing, a trolling spoon is illustrated which is made in accordance with the principles of the invention and which comprises a body having a head portion 10, an intermediate portion 12, and a tail portion 14. The head and tail portions are substantially fiat and are interconnected by the intermediate portion which has the general curvature of a helix. The head and tail portions each comprises approximately one-fourth of the entire length of the spoon. The head portion would extend to about the point marked 16 and the intermediate portion would then extend rearwardly therefrom, to about the point marked 18. As an example of the relative lengths of the various portions, if the over-all length of the spoon was four inches, then the head and tail portions would total approximately two inches in length.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower edge '20 of thehead portion is substantially straight, and, as shown, lies. in the horizontal plane. The upper edge of the head portion is rounded in the center section, as indicated by the numeral 22, and slopes downwardly and forwardly to the lower edge 20, as indicated by the numeral 24. The head portion is provided with an opening 26 in its lower forward end for the connection thereto of a conventional swivel 28. The intermediate portion 12 is formed by twisting or bending the front and rear half parts thereof in opposite transverse directions about the longitudinalaxis of the spoon. The approximate center-point about which the intermediate portion is bent is generally designated by the numeral 30. The intermediate portion 12 extends rearwardly to the point 18, and, the rest of the spoon comprises the tail portion 14. As is shown in the drawing, the tail portion 14 is shaped similarly to the front portion 11), but is disposed in an inverted or reversed position relative thereto. 'That is, the upper edge of the tail portion-'14 is substantially 'straight and thelower e dgeis rounded in the center section thereof. As best seen in I Fig. 5, the tail portion 14 is also disposed at an angle relative to the vertical plane 32. vIt has been found that the tail portion 14 should be bent around the longitudinal axis of the spoon to approximately a 45 angle for best results. The tail portion 14 is provided with an opening 34 in its upper forward end, adjacent the upper substantially straight edge 36. A ring 38 is received in the hole 34 and passes through the eye 39 of the multiple prong hook 40. It will be seen, that the majority of the head portion extends upwardly above the line of pull on the spoon, or the longitudinal axis 41, and that the majority of the tail portion extends downwardly below the line of pull.

In use, the swivel 28 would be connected in the usual manner to a length of fish line and drawn through the water by suitable trolling means. Assuming that the spoon is starting from the position shown in Fig. l, and is being drawn to the left as viewed therein, the water sliding by the curved intermediate portion is directed under the tail portion 14 which is starting from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. The aforegoing action will tend to straighten-up the tail portion and move it about the longitudinal axis of the spoon in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, into a vertical position. During such action the head portion 10 will have been turned over on its side. When the tail portion 14 reaches a substantially vertical position, the head portion 10 will be disposed at an approximate 45 angle on the oppositeside of the spoon from which the tail portion started from. The head portion 10 is then subjected to a righting, upwardly directed force by the water and is rotated in a clockwise direction about the longitudinal axis of the spoon, as viewed in Fig. 5, back to the vertical position from which it started. The

aforedescribed cycle is then repeated successively as the spoon is drawn through the water and the spoon thus travels with a wiggling movement, with the head and tail portions oscillating about the longitudinal axis of the spoon. There is also produced a slight lateral, back and forth, movement of the head and tail portions about the medial point 30 of the intermediate portion 12, which causes the spoon to follow a slight zigzag course through the water.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification,

variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1, A trolling spoon of the class described, comprising: an""elongated plate including, a substantially flat, vertical-ly disposed headportion having: a substantially 's'tiaightlower edge; the upper edge of the head portion being rounded along the center portion thereof and sloping forwardly andd'ownwardly to meet the straight lower edge; said plate further including a substantially fiat tail portion having a substantially straight upper edge which is substantially parallel to the straight lower edge of the head portion; the lower edge of the tail portion being rounded along the center portion thereof and slop ing upwardlyand rearwardly to meet the straight upper edge; and, said plate further including an intermediate portion interconnecting the head and tail portions and which has the general curvature. of a helix.

2. A trolling spoon or the class described, comprising: an elongated plate including, a substantially fiat, vertically disposed head portion having a substantially straight lower edge; the upper edge of the head portion being rounded along the center portion thereof and sloping forwardly and downwardly to meet the straight lower edge; said head portion having an opening therethrough for attaching a line to the spoon; said plate further including a substantially flat tail portion having a substantially straight upper edge which is substantially parallel to the straight lower edge of the head portion; the lower edge of the tail portion being rounded along the center portion thereof and sloping upwardly and rearwardly to meet the straight upper edge; said tail portion having an opening therethrough for attaching a hook to the spoon; saidplate further including an intermediate portion interconnecting the head and tail portions and which has the general curvature of a helix; the major part of the head portion extending upwardly above the longitudinal axis of the spoon which passes through said openings; and, the major part of the tail portion extending downwardly below said longitudinal axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 770,858 Hornung Sept. 27, 1904 1,566,059 Willson Dec. 15, 1925 1,831,267 Schwartz Nov. 10, 1931 2,236,023 Turner Mar. 25, 1941 2,244,378 Turner June 3, 1941 2,665,516 Race June 12, 1954 2,736,982 Curtis Mar. 6, 1956 2,819,552 Russell Jan. 14, 1958 

